Wimbledon notes: Tourney leaving NBC after 43 years

Published 5:30 am, Monday, July 4, 2011

Not even nifty shots like this between-the-legs return were enough for Spain's Rafael Nadal to defend his title in Sunday's men's final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic.

Not even nifty shots like this between-the-legs return were enough for Spain's Rafael Nadal to defend his title in Sunday's men's final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic.

Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth, Associated Press

Wimbledon notes: Tourney leaving NBC after 43 years

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ESPN to take over

Wimbledon is leaving NBC after 43 years and appears headed to ESPN.

NBC said in a statement Sunday that "while we would have liked to have continued our relationship, we were simply outbid."

A person with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed that ESPN was working on a contract with the All England Club to televise all of the Grand Slam tournament. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not ready to be announced.

The switch was first reported by SportsBusiness Journal.

ESPN had owned the rights to extensively televise early rounds of Wimbledon, with NBC picking up coverage as the tournament progressed, culminating with the broadcasts of the finals.